This invention relates to a holder for a telephone subset and more particularly to such a holder capable of holding or accommodating a telephone in multiple positions for different applications.
The prior art is replete with a wide variety of alternate housing configurations and designs for a telephone subset. Under present circumstances, the consumer is free to purchase a subset according to his aesthetic preferences and to utilize the subset with the operating telephone company's lines and equipment. In order to accomplish this, the telephone company normally supplies wall-jacks into which the purchased subset is plugged or otherwise coupled to.
Telephone subsets as indicated above come in various configurations and are employed in different operating positions. Accordingly, such subsets may be utilized on a desk top or other surface and appear different than subsets which are mounted on the wall. It is, of course, understood that certain desk mounted subsets such as those supplied by the telephone company can be adapted for mounting on the wall utilizing a permanent type of connection. As indicated, a desk mounted subset is normally plugged into a wall jack or otherwise. In regard to a wall mounted subset, the telephone company provides a wall plate which has a jack positioned thereon and once the consumer orders a wall mounted subset, the unit is conventionally plugged into the jack associated with the wall plate.
It is desirable to provide a universal holder for a compact type telephone subset, which holder is relatively inexpensive, easy to install, while enabling one to accommodate the compact telephone subset in a plurality of different positions to thereby enable the same exact subset to be utilized as a desk subset or as a wall mounted subset. When referring to a compact telephone subset, there exists a plurality of subsets which are relatively small in volume and are aesthetically designed to offer the consumer both convenience and ease in placing calls and using the subset for telephone conversation.
An example of a particularly unique compact subset which is of the type to be accommodated by a telephone holder according to this invention is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,696 entitled COMPACT TELESCOPING TELEPHONE SET issued on Feb. 17, 1981 to William G. MacKenzie et al, the Inventor herein and assigned to the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, the Assignee herein. The telephone set according to this patent is a relatively compact instrument and provides a telescoping operation for on and off hook activation. The unit includes a first composite housing which has an internal hollow, which housing contains a dialer mechanism and telephone receiver. The housing has an open front end which includes guide means for allowing a slidable housing member containing a telephone transmitter to slide within the first housing section to enable the telescoping operation. The telephone described in the patent is extremely compact and further possesses great aesthetic appeal and hence, is a highly popular unit.
It is an object of the present invention, as above indicated, to provide a telephone holder for accommodating a compact telephone subset, which holder is capable of holding or accommodating the subset in multiple positions for different applications. The telephone holder according to this invention is extremely simple to fabricate and to install and possesses relatively few parts to enable installation of the same and use of the same by an inexperienced consumer.